Fifth wheel hitches are well known to those in the trailer towing field. Various models of fifth wheel hitches have been manufactured and sold by Cequent Towing Products, Inc. and its predecessor Reese Products, Inc. The fifth wheel hitches generally include a base which is held in the bed and mounted to the frame of a pick up truck. The base supports a head assembly including a skid plate and a locking jaw mechanism for securing the king pin of the trailer being towed in proper position with the weight of the trailer properly supported on the skid plate. An example of a fifth wheel hitch incorporating such a structural arrangement is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,323 to Czuk et al.
While the jaw assembly mechanism described in the Czuk et al. patent functions beautifully for its intended purpose, it should be appreciated that it is a relatively complicated structure incorporating coupling plates or links with a radially extending slot and cooperating pivot pin providing interconnection between the two jaws of the assembly. This arrangement incorporates a relatively large number of parts, which disadvantageously increase manufacturing costs. A need is therefore identified for a new, simpler jaw assembly that is less expensive to produce yet still provides reliable operation over a long service life.